Amalgamator



- (No Model.) 2Sheets-Sheef1.

J. W-..GULMER.

. AMALGAMATOR. No. 452,177. Patented May 12, 1891.

2 Sheets-Sheet R l m MT A M A HUG A M .A J a d 0 M 0 w.

No. 452,177. Patented May 12, 1891.

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UNIT D STATES PATENT @rrIcE.

JOHN WVOODRUFF OULMER, OF NEV BRIGHTON, PENNSYLVANIA.

AMALGAMATOR.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters'Patent No. 452,177, dated May 12, 1891. Application filed October 25, 189:0. Serial No. 369,340. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JOHN Woonnnrr (JUL 'MER, a citizen of the United States, residing at New Brighton, in the county of Beaver and.

State of Pennsylvania, have invented new and useful Improvements in Amalgamators, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to apparatus for amalgamating gold; and the particular improvements therein consist of certain novel parts and combination of parts, the separate features of which will be specifically pointed out in, the claims concluding this specification, in connection with the drawings illustrating such apparatus, and in which' Figure l is a side elevation of. such apparatus. Fig. 2 is a vertical section of the same. Fig. 3 is a partial vertical section employed, showing a feature of my improvement not in Fig. 2; and Fig. 4 is a top view of annular troughed pan, showing the perforated diaphragms, which serve as covers for the separate bodies of mercury.

Referring to the drawings, it will be seen that the apparatus is mounted upon a suitable base A, having a central tubular standard 13, having an outflow pipe 0 and a flaring flanged top. A conical panD is secured upon and rises from this standard-flange, and a conical troughed pan E is mounted upon and within this base-pan by means of brackets a a and stands with its apex downward in central relation therein and at a level alittle below the top of the said base-pan. These two pans are formed with vertical top rims b b, and the troughed pan is of a less diameter than the base-pan and has its troughs formed by vertical concentric rings 0, so that each trough Will stand on a higherhorizontal plane from the central or inner one and contain separate bodies of mercury.

A cylinder (1, of potters clay, hard burned, is mounted upon the troughed pan E and forms the central walls of the inner trough, and is cemented at its lower edge upon the said pan, so as to form a watertight joint therewith. A conical metallic cap e is cemented upon this clay cylinder, so as to form an inclosed central chamber f, and mounted upon this cap isa fixed vertical tube F, having a series of openings 9 at the surface of said cap, through which the gold-bearing water passes out from the central supply-pipe into the inner trough.

A ringed cover G is fitted by a sleeve h upon the vertical supply-pipe, so as to slide thereon as a guide for said cover, and'which is thereby adapted to be raised and lowered in its relation to the troughed pan. This ringed cover is provided on its under surface with concentric rings 1', which dip into the separate bodies of mercury in the trough, as shown in Fig. 2, or'may rest upon the surface of perforated diaphragms J, fitted closely Within the troughs upon the surface of the mercury therein, as

7 seen in Figs. 3 and 4, so thatthe outflow from the inner trough is upward over its rings and into and through the separate bodies of mercury and under the rings of the cover. This construction gives a partial intermittent upward flow of the gold-bearing water, so that the speed of such flow is thereby retarded from the inner lowest to the outer highest trough to expose the flow a longer time to the action of the mercury, and thereby cause it to more completely take up the particles of gold passing in the flow. This cover can be raised and held suspended by means of counter-weights jj, carried by cords k, which are connected to'the cover-sleeve and pass over pulleys Z Z, mounted in the ends of a cross-head m, supported upon the central pipe, and thereby allow the cover to be raised to uncover the troughs to remove the perforated diaphragms or the separate bodies of mercury when desired and to hold the cover-rings in proper relation to the troughs to permit the upward flow, as stated. Under a high head or pressure of flow the perforated diaphragms resting on the bodies of the mercury serve to more thoroughly and finely divide and expose the water to the action of the mercury, and in such case the cover rests by its rings upon the perforated rings and holds them down upon the mercury against the pressure of the flow. These perforated diaphragms are easily accessible and can be taken out when the pressure of the flow is not so great, and they give the advantage of using a considerable pressure in an upward flow through comparatively small bodies of mercury.

I make the ring-cylinder cl of potters clay, so that it will be sufficiently porous to permit the passage through it of superheated steam, of heated gas, or air under pressure separate or together, so that it may be forced directly into and through the separate bodies of mercury in the direction of the outflow, and thereby heat and agitate the mercury to eifect a more intimate contact therewith of the gold in the fiow of the water. When gas is used for this purpose, I prefer hydrogen or sulphureted hydrogen to prevent flouring of the amalgam. This heated fluid is supplied by any suitable apparatus or steamgenerator, as indicated at I, and I connect it with the central chamber f by a pipe 71. I make the cap 0 of this chamber of metal, so as to be heated to heat the inflow and to prevent the escape of the heated fluid out through the supply-pipe, and also form a support for the central supply-pipe. The water from the troughed pan fiows off over its outer rim 1) into the bottom pan and out through the tail-pipe, while the upward flow through separate and distinct bodies of mercury gives the advantage of gradually retarding the How 'from the lowest to the highest body.

The counter-weights serve to balance the cover, and thus allow it to be easily raised clear of the mercury-troughs and to be held up out of the way for the purpose stated, being confined in its raised position upon the supply-pipe in position to be lowered in place, thereby rendering it unnecessary to remove the cover from the apparatus or to disturb the connections of the supply-pipe.

I claim as my improvement 1. The combination, in a gold-amalgamating apparatus, of a conical pan having a series of separate concentric troughs for containing mercury, a cover having concentric rings, and removable perforated plates fitted within said troughs flatwise upon the surface of the mercury and having their upper surfaces divided by the said cover-rings, for the purpose stated.

2. The combination, in a gold-amalgamating apparatus, of a conical pan having a series of separate concentric troughs for containing mercury, a central supply-pipe rising from the inner lowest trough, a cover having concentric rings and having a sleeve upon said pipe, and cords and counterbalance-weights connected to said sleeve and to said supplypipe, whereby the said cover may be raised and held up upon said pipe clear of the mercury-troughs, for the purpose stated.

3. The combination, in a gold-amalgamating apparatus, of a conical pan having a series of concentric troughs for containing mercury, arranged at relative diiterent levels, the inner trough being the lowest and the outer trough being the highest, a central supply-pipe, a cover having concentric rings depending into said troughs, and loose perforated annular plates fitting within saidtroughs and supplementing the mercury therein, as set forth.

4. The combination, in a gold-amalgamating apparatus, of a conical pan having a series of concentric troughs for containing mercury, arranged at relative dififerent heights, the inner trough being the lowest and the outer trough being the highest, a clay ring or cylinder (1, arranged to form the inner Wall of the lowest trough and covered by a metallic cap e, forming a central chamberf, a central supply-pipe mounted upon said metallic cap, a cover having concentric rings depending into said troughs, the pipe n, entering the bottom of said chamber, and suitable means for supplying steam, heated gas,or air through said pipe into the central chamber f, as set forth.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

JOHN \VOODRUFF CULMER.

Witnesses:

A. E. II. JOHNSON,

E. M. DAWSON. 

